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WikiLeaks' Assange freed on bail

Founder of whistleblower website released late on Thursday after senior British judge sets conditional bail.

16 Dec 2010 18:22 GMT

Julian Assange has been jailed since December 7, when he was arrested in London [Reuters]

Julian Assange, the founder of whistleblower website WikiLeaks, has been freed after spending nine days in solitary confinement in a London jail over alleged sexual offences.

Assange, 39, was released late on Thursday after a senior British judge ruled that he can be released on conditional bail following a week of legal drama over his extradition.

He is fighting moves to take him to Sweden, where he faces questioning over sex-crime allegations.

"I hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter and to reveal as we get it, which we have not yet, the evidence from these allegations," he said in a brief statement on the steps of the high court in London.

Assange is now expected to head to a British country mansion where he will have to observe a curfew and wear a monitoring device.